Improvement in rifled fire-arms



Wlzesses.

J. B. ATWATER. iing- Fire-Arms.

Patented March 6, 1860,

UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. B. ATVATER, OF RIPON, VISCONSIU.

IMPROVEMENT IN RIFLED FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 27.342, dated March 6, 1860.

Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State.

of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Arms, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing and arranging the several partsof this gun substantially in the manner hereinafter described.

In the annexed drawings, Figurel is a longitudinal section. Figs. 2 and 3 are crosssections of the barrel, taken at different points.

In the figures, A represents the stock of the gun, and B represents the barrel. The stock is constructed in any suitable manner, and of any suitable material. The construction of the barrel is, however, peculiar. It is provided with the usual gain-twist in the bore, the twist commencing with one turn in six feet and ending or running outwith one turn in three feet. Six rities start from the breech and run about eighteen inches up the bore. In some instances they may run twenty or twenty-four inches. Three are then cut off, and only three run out to the end of the barrel. In this respect the barrel is peculiar. It has heretofore been the practice to run all of the riiies out to the end of the barrel, which started from the breech.

One of the principal improvements of my gun consists in making-fewer riiies or grooves in the bore between the muzzle and the center or middle ofthe barrel than I do between the middle and the breech-pin. The object of this is that I may have more friction on the ball during the expansion of the powder in the barrel than I do after the expansion of the powder. The expansion of the best powder generally takes place in the first eighteen inches of the barrel, during which time it is desirable to have a considerable amount of friction; but after the powder has exerted its expansive force it is desirable to avoid friction as much as possible. Hence it has been ascertained that short guns shoot harder than long ones; but when the barrel is madeonly eighteen or twenty inches long the length is not sufcient to give proper direction to the ball after it leaves the gun. In my case I 0btain all of the expansive power 0f the powder,

and I still guide the ball after this, reducing off, as to leave no jog by inequalities to the ball as it passes out. I am enabled by this construction of the barrel to shoot as hard as any short gun, and at the same time give proper direction to the ball for long distances.

G represents the breech-pin, which screws into the end of the barrel in the usual manner. This pin is provided with a cone, G, which extends into the center of thefbarrel. A small opening, o, extends through the breech-pin from its rear and passes into the barrel through the center of the cone C. The object of this cone is that the powder may be divided around it from its base to and above its apex, and the object in making the opening o to pass through it, coming out at its apex, is to ignite the charge of powder as near its center as possible, in order to burn as much powder as possible and as quickly as possible.

D represents a cylindrical case, which is provided on one face, nearits periphery, with a series of tubes or nipples, c c c. This case is held in position by means of a disk, E, which is placed on one side of it, and by a disk which forms one end of the guard F, which rests on the back of it. The case D revolves, so as to bring the tubes or nipples successively in line with the opening o in the breech-pin. i represents a small pin, which is provided with a head, which head ifts in a beveled socket in the inner face of the disk E. To this pin is secured a small spring, g, which tends to draw the head of the pin into the opening or socket in which it rests.`

G represents the hammer, which is in theform seen. A continuation of the hammer forms the trigger G', as is clearly shownvin Fig. 1. a represents a notch cut into the trigger, which is caught into by one end of a ratchet, d, the other end of the ratchet being secured by a loop, or otherwise, to one end 0f the mainspringm. It will be seen that when the trigger is moved forward the cock or hammer moves back, and the ratchet d, pressing in the notch a, raises the mainspring with its other end, and stands in a vertical position, or the point of the ratchet may stand a little back of a vertical line, and will thus stand until the trigger is removed back. As soon as the ratchet passes a vertical line forward the mainspring throws the hammer down violently. The hammer strikes the pin z', which, in turn, strikes and explodes the cap on the tube or nipple c opposite it, and thus explodes the charge of powder by sending the fire from the cap through the opening o into the center of the powder.

e represents a set-screw, which is placed at the back of the case D, the point of the screw entering an opening in the case, for the purpose of steadying and keeping J[he case nicely adjusted in its proper position.

The advantagesarising from thearrangement and construction ofthe several parts of this gun will be readily perceived. By constructing the barrel with a diminished number of grooves from, or from near, its center, the ball receives all of the expansive force of the powder, with all of the friction necessaryto resist sufficiently the powder in the first half ofthe barrel, while the friction in the second half is so diminished as not to retard the ball materially, the additional length of the gun giving direction to the ball. By the use of the cone on the breechpin, the gun is enabled to burn more powder than it otherwise could, as the powder is ignited near its center. By using the opening in the end of the barrel or through the breechpin, the ball is given an additional impetus from the powder of the cap; and by using the case D, I am enabled to use a number of caps for discharging the gun without the trouble of capping, or without the danger of having the caps wet in rainy weather. The advantages, combined, render the gun a very desirable one for hard shooting and for accurate long shooting.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- Constructing the barrel substantially in the manner set forth-to wit, with a diminished number of riies or grooves from, or from near, the center or middle ofthe barrel to its muzzle, for the purpose of diminishing the friction of the ball after the powder has exerted its expansive force upon it, as is herein specified.

ln witness that I claim the above T, have set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. B. ATVATER.

\Vit1iesses:

C. M. ALEXANDER, JornT F. Iii-inns. 

